Contents
Introduction
2
Schedule and location of free meals throughout Richmond
2
Budgets
2
Purchasing patterns
2
Sharing Farm
3
Local, seasonal, organic foods
3
Cultural diversity and food sensitivities
3
The Community
4
Anticipated changes
4
Challenges faced by community meal providers
4
Recommendations to Richmond Food Security in supporting community meals
5
APPENDIX A
Contact Information for Richmond Community Meals Providers June 2010
APPENDIX B
Summary of Survey Data
APPENDIX C
Resources for Community Meals Providers
Free Food Sources
Local Food Resources
Richmond Community Meals Report, July 2010
Introduction
At the request of Richmond Food Security Society, data was gathered from known community
meal providers during the Spring of 2010. The providers had already planned to meet,
independent of RFSS, to share information and connect with each other, and were willing to
have RFSS input at that time.
A survey was constructed to gather basic information. Additionally, the group met on three
occasions, each time at a different meal provider’s location. Both survey data and anecdotal
evidence were used in the construction of this report. Funds were provided by RFSS to support
the hosting agencies.
Karen Dar Woon, author of this report, is a free-lance personal chef.
Schedule and location of free meals throughout Richmond
Four organizations currently offer free meals to the public on an ongoing basis:
St. Albans Anglican Church, Tuesdays, 5:30 pm, except summer
Salvation Army, Thursdays, 12:30 pm
Richmond Bethel Church, Fridays, 1pm
Gilmore Park United Church, Thursdays, 5:30 pm, except December
In addition, Salvation Army offers an evening meal for Christmas dinner.
Outside of Christian-faith based organizations, there are no other known public meal programs.
Richmond Family Place offers meals to participants in evening programs.
Several other faith-based organizations offer free or low-cost meals to their adherents.
Contact information, Appendix A, follows at the end of this report.
Budgets
Meal programs are dependent upon private and corporate donations, community fundraising
efforts, and community grants, for funding. Some of the programs are funded through their
respective churches.
Each meal provider is autonomous in it’s funding sources and purchasing.
Average budget allocation is $2.50-$3 per person for food and sundries.
Purchasing patterns
Survey data indicates that supplies are most often purchased from large chain grocery stores
and discount stores (i.e., Costco, Warehouse Club, Superstore). Some programs are well
supported by private donations of food items. Most purchasing decisions are based on budget
constraints.
The majority of providers surveyed said they use frozen meat products “often”.
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Richmond Community Meals Report, July 2010
Survey data revealed that most community meal providers are unfamiliar with alternatives to
retail purchasing for supplies. Each program makes use of supplies from the Richmond Food
Bank. As well, the providers with larger capacity also take advantage of bakery donation
programs (i.e., Cobs or Safeway end-of-sales-day pickups)
The survey also revealed that community meal providers generally do not purchase from
sources outside of Richmond, even if the product cost is lower. This may be due to lack of
information about delivery/pick up, and concerns about the cost of fuel.
In two of the programs, Richmond Bethel and Gilmore Park, the paid staff are predominantly
responsible for purchasing. At Salvation Army, volunteers purchase supplies. At St. Albans,
supplies are purchased by both paid staff and volunteers. Volunteers and staff pick up donations
for all the programs.
A summary of the survey data, Appendix B, follows at the end of this report.
Sharing Farm
Some providers are not making optimal use of produce from the Sharing Farm.
Reasons for this include:
· Not aware that the Sharing Farm is able provide produce throughout the year;
· Vegetables are unfamiliar to volunteers and to guests;
· Not aware of how to store the produce;
· Unable to pick up from the Farm on the pick-day;
· Too much work to process fresh produce off the land;
· Not enough notice given to the meal provider of what/when produce is available.
Local, seasonal, organic foods
As most meal programs are purchasing food supplies from grocery stores and discount grocers,
it seems there is no protocol for purchasing locally grown or seasonal food. Meal providers
expressed concern about additional purchasing cost, or processing time, involved in using locally
grown, in-season food. Some providers expressed concern that many guests’ tastes do not
encompass seasonally available vegetables, but tend towards basic and familiar items such as
potatoes, onions, carrots, peas, broccoli. Purchase price was cited as the sole reason to not use
organic produce, dairy products or meat.
Cultural diversity and food sensitivities
There appears to be very little conscious plan to provide foods which meet a variety of cultural
and nutritional needs. Survey data indicates that the menus are generally of the “middle
American” style of cooking; meat-based proteins, vegetables, starches, and salads. There is a large
dependence on wheat and grain based calories (sandwiches, pasta, bread). Only one provider
has a protocol for providing vegetarian, wheat-free, or dairy-free choices on a regular basis.
Cultural diversity is not reflected in documented meal menus. Of note, some menus included
the combination of meat and dairy products, which would specifically (but unintentionally)
exclude members of some non-Christian faith communities.
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Richmond Community Meals Report, July 2010
The Community
The various Community Meal providers were unfamiliar with each others’ programs, and
so decided to make regular visits.
A number of observations were cited, based on attending each other’s meal programs:
· A high degree of caring exists amongst community meal guests
· A large proportion of guests attend several meals during the week
· Guests travel from outside of Richmond to attend community meals
· The majority of guests at all meals have certain similarities: working for low wages or
not working; single elderly women living alone; homeless or under-housed; single adults;
new resident to Richmond; affected by chronic conditions and disabilities; living on fixed
income and/or low income
· A number of families are present
· Many guests also make use of other support in the community: Food Bank, clothing
bank, drop-in centres.
Anticipated changes
The congregation of Richmond Alliance Church is interested in starting a food-based outreach,
but there are no firm details at the time of this report. The building is equipped with a
commercial kitchen.
Richmond Bethel Church is considering a change from a lunch-hour program to an evening
meal.
Challenges faced by community meal providers
Budget and staffing were cited by the meal providers as the greatest operational challenges. The
budget for food has not increased significantly to recognize an increase in the number of guests
attending free meals. In addition, the logistics involved in preparing the greater amount of food is
daunting for some meal providers.
Community meals who serve a larger number of guests face a challenge of continuing to
provide a safe, secure and welcoming environment. While altercations are rare, there is a
concern amongst providers as to how to manage large groups.
For Gilmore Park, there is an ongoing challenge in retaining enough trained volunteers.
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Richmond Community Meals Report, July 2010
Recommendations to Richmond Food Security in supporting community
meals
Based on the data collect from the survey, some concrete ways in which Richmond Food
Security Society can support community meal programs in the City include:
· Provide contact information for local farmers who are able to offer produce in
suitable quantities, and at prices comparable to supermarket pricing
· Provide funding to support periodic meetings of the various providers, up to 4 times
per year, for the purpose of networking, resource sharing, solution-building, etc.
· Provide or facilitate training opportunities for providers and volunteers, i.e., first aid,
food safety, product knowledge or cooking demonstrations
· Facilitate connections for (listed in this report) providers of community meals with
other food-sharing program providers within Richmond
· Provide logistical support, in conjunction with Richmond Sharing Farm and Richmond
Food Bank, so that providers can access produce from the Sharing Farm
· Provide access to a pool of volunteers who are interested, motivated, and possess the
necessary skills, to work in the community meals programs.
· Provide information to clients who can make use of community meal programs
· Assist to set up and maintain an on-line knowledge library, including low-cost food
resources, menus, recipes, etc.
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Richmond Community Meals Report, July 2010
APPENDIX A
Contact Information for Richmond Community Meals Providers
June 2010
Name
email
phone
affiliation
Laurie Baignee
lbaignee@shaw.ca
604-272-4910
Gilmore Park United
Shelby Everitt
everittshelby@hotmail.com
604-274-1271
Gilmore Park United
Rob Ogden
ogdenrob@hotmail.com
604-272-4449
Gilmore Park United
Sandy Jolly
s_jolly@telus.net
604-272-4449
Gilmore Park United
Karen Dar Woon chef2u@telus.net
604-329-7240
Gilmore Park United
Ruth Wiens
office@richmondbethel.ca
604-274-2811
Richmond Bethel
Chad Ekren
chad@capitalconceptsgroup.com604-220-7343
Richmond Bethel
Scott Tolhurst
stolhurst@richmondbethel.ca 604-274-2811
Richmond Bethel
John Fisher
jetravels@shaw.ca
604-277-9560
Salvation Army
Mj. Brad Smith
brad_smith@can.salvationarmy.org 604-274-2424Salvation Army
Mj. Mary Smith
mary_smith@can.salvationarmy.org 604-274-2424Salvation Army
Fran Bates
elf@phas.ubc.ca
604-271-5039
St. Albans Anglican
Deneanne Quammequamme@shaw.ca
604-271-9096
St. Albans Anglican
David Kimpton
davidkimpton@shaw.ca
604-270-2597
St. Albans Anglican
Pauline & Bob Jonesbobandpauline@telus.net 604-273-8425
St. Albans Anglican
Rose Rourke
604-271-4168
St. Albans Anglican
Peter D'Souza
jpdsouza@shaw.ca
604-207-9565
St. Paul's Catholic
Janet Sutherland
neil.sutherland@ubc.ca
St. Albans Anglican
Janis Lambert
janice@richmondfamilyplace.ca Richmond Family
Place
Kamal Ghamal
kamal@richmondbaptist.com 778-235-3285
Richmond Baptist
Church
Arzeena Hamir
arzeenahamir@shaw.ca
604-727-9728
Richmond Food
Security Society
6
30-50
# of guests
60-80
$80-100
$150
0
3
7
$250
5
least expensive
easy to get to
influences to supplier choice
120-135
$325
8
number of volunteers
delivery
9 food service suppliers
variety
price
costco
available materials, including
sharing farm
items on sale
foodbank
Beef meatloaf, gravy, mashed potatoes, peas & carrots, tossed salad, chocolate brownies
Salsa chicken, brown rice, veg medley, coleslaw, fruited jello
Savoury bread pudding, turkey sausage, mixed veg, tossed salad, apple cake, lentil & rice soup
Roast pork, scalloped potatoes, braised greens (chard, kale, bok choy), tossed salad, fruit salad; tomato rice soup
Roast chicken, mashed potatoes, mexicali corn, tossed salad, apple-pear crumble, grapes
Typical/recent menus
Gilmore Park United Church Thur
Community Meal
5:30 PM
#1 Rd. & Blundell Rd.
Spaghetti w/ vegetable sauce, meatballs, caesar salad, garlic toast, mulled fruit juce
Turkey pot pie, parsley potatoes, cabbage & noodle salad, buns, hot chocolate, rice pudding
Meatloaf w/ tomato sauce, mashed potatoes, mixed veg (peppers, onion, tomato), buns, hot lemon tea, peach cobbler w/ whipped cream
Salmon or tuna patties, lemon mustard sauce, baked cabbage, coined carrots & peas, buns, mulled fruit juice, fudge brownies
Sweet & Sour Meatballs, steamed rice & peas, veg chop cuey, veg egg rolls, hot chocolate, peanut butter cookies
Typical/recent menus
150
Ham, rice, vegetables, salad, bun, dessert
ease of preparation
time for preparation
grocery stores
large donations of meat
5 foodbank
sharing program with other SAs
save-on foods
6 costco
foodbank
Influences to meal planning
costco
available materials, including easy for volunteers
20-30 foodbank
donations
to get to
grocery stores
variety
price
private donations number of helpers available
# of/meal
Volunteers Suppliers
Macaroni/Beef casserole, mixed vegetables, salad, bun, dessert
Chili Dog, salad, dessert
Stew, mashed potatoes, coleslaw, bun, dessert
Typical/recent menus
Thur
12:30 PM
Paid staff
$ per meal hrs/week
Budget
meat, potatoes, rice, salad, bun, dessert
Typical/recent menus
Fri
12:30 PM
Day/Time
St. Albans Anglican
Tues
Community Meal
5:30
St. Albans Rd & Granville Ave.
The Salvation Army
Community Lunch
Gilbert Rd & Blundell Rd.
Richmond Bethel Church
Free Community Meal
#5 Rd & Williams Rd.
Program Name
Provider
Richmond Community Meals Report, July 2010
APPENDIX B
Summary of Survey Data
Richmond Community Meals Report, July 2010
APPENDIX C
Resources for Community Meals Providers
Purchasing Food and Other Services
QUEST FOOD EXCHANGE
Based in Vancouver, BC, Quest Outreach serves to “rescue”, or redirect, foods which, while
completely edible, are headed to the waste stream due to “non-conformance” to market
standards. This includes perishable goods with a “best before date” which is coming near, canned
foods in broken or incomplete shipping boxes, produce, fish from unclaimed inventory in
storage facilities. The Food Exchange is operated by the Quest Outreach Society, a registered
not-for-profit organization.
A variety of staple and dry goods are available in the low-cost grocery stores, and through
the warehouse. At times, frozen meats, poultry and fish are available, as well as produce.
Agencies are required to register in order to purchase from Quest. Delivery is available.
Agencies are also able to refer clients to shop in the low cost grocery.
http://www.questoutreach.org/
604-602-0186
SUNOPTA
Part of the SunOpta grocery group, providing organic and conventional produce and grocery
items. On Saturdays, SunOpta sometimes opens the warehouse dock to the public. Organic
produce from the previous week is available for purchase at a discount.
12757 Vulcan Way, Richmond
604-276-2411
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Richmond Community Meals Report, July 2010
FOOD SERVICE SUPPLIERS
Some distributors will deal directly with agencies, and will deliver with a minimum order.
It may be possible to partner with other meal programs to share a delivery, and therefore lower
some costs. Or, depending upon your storage capacity, consider ordering items which can be
used in subsequent meals.
JK Poultry
Located in east Vancouver. Will deliver to Richmond, if orders are over $100; next day delivery
available.
Provides conventional and non-medicated chicken, turkey and other poultry products. Fresh,
frozen, whole, cut up and cut-to-order are available.
Must set up account before ordering. Accept cash, cheque, Mastercard or VISA.
Deliveries can be COD.
Open Monday-Friday only.
Sales rep Jerry Dawson
771 East Cordova Street, Vancouver, BC V6A 1M@
604-253-8292
Yen Bros Distributing
Located in east Vancouver. Will deliver to Richmond, minimum $250. Pick up available for smaller
orders. Set up an account in advance (can be done by phone and fax).
Provides conventional produce, including specialty mushrooms, imported and local fruits, and
oriental vegetables; fresh and frozen meat products; food-service sized packages and cans of
grocery product. Pre-cut salads, vegetables and fruits are prepared the day before shipping.
Open 7 days a week, except holidays.
1988 Vernon Drive (near Clark Dr. & 1st Ave), Vancouver, BC V6A 3Y6
604-255-6522
Pro-Organics Distributing
Located in Burnaby. Will deliver to Richmond, minimum $200 order. Pick up available for smaller
orders. Set up an account in advance, by phone and fax.
Provides organic produce, dairy and grocery products.
Open Monday-Thursday 8-3:30; Friday 8-1:30
Sales rep: Jacquie Breadmore
4535 Still Creek Avenue, Burnaby, BC V5C 5W1
604-253-6549
Central Foods Co. Ltd.
Located in Richmond, near No. 5 Road & Steveston Hwy.
$50 minimum order for delivery. Deliveries available Mon.-Sat. Orders can also be picked up
Mon.-Sat. Set up an account in advance, by phone.
Provides fresh produce and dry goods.
12160 Horseshoe Way, Richmond, BC V6A 4V5
Fax 604-271-8380 • 604-271-9797
RETAIL
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Richmond Community Meals Report, July 2010
Many retail outlets will give a discount on bulk purchase IF ASKED.
Save On Foods bakery can offer 10%. Ask the manager. Sometimes the meat department will
give a discount when asked as well. Phone ahead.
Beefway Meats, at Kingsway and Slocan in Vancouver, has very reasonable prices. They will
deliver, for a fee. Phone 604-438-1190
WAREHOUSE CLUBS
Some items will be less expensive to purchase at warehouse club outlets, such as Costco and
Great Canadian Wholesale Club. Pricing can vary significantly from item to item, so best to
check before making a large purchase.
Costco. Most locations will answer phone inquiries regarding pricing and availability of fresh
products such as meat or bakery. It is possible to negotiate a discount on some meat products if
full case-lots are purchased. Open at 10 am most days, 9:30 on Saturday.
ACCEPTS CASH, DEBIT AND AMERICAN EXPRESS. MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED
Costco Wholesale Richmond
9151 Bridgeport Road
604-270-3647
Costco Wholesale Downtown
Underground parking, $2
605 Expo Boulevard, Vancouver
604-622-5050
Costco Wholesale Willingdon
4500 Still Creek Dr., Burnaby
604-296-5100
Real Canadian Wholesale Club is located in Burnaby, near Royal Oak Ave. & Kingsway.
A subsidiary of Loblaw, they stock a good selection of food-service-sized grocery items,
including large tins of vegetables and fruits, and bulk dry goods (cake mixes, flour, sugar, etc). The
house brands include the yellow “No Name” label, as well as Sunspun and President’s Choice.
GCWC offers mailing-list service, through which promotions and coupons are sent via postal
mail. Open at 7am weekdays, 8 am weekends
NO CREDIT CARDS. MEMBERSHIP NOT REQUIRED.
Real Canadian Wholesale Club
5355 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC
604-431-0765
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Richmond Community Meals Report, July 2010
Free Food Sources
updated July 2010
Richmond Fruit Tree Sharing Project Society
The RFTSP originated as a group of volunteers picking excess fruit from neighbours’ yards, and
sharing via the Richmond Food Bank.
Now, the Society operates the Sharing Farm at Terra Nova Rural Park, where over 17,000
lbs of vegetables and fruit were grown in 2009. The Society also operates a newly planted fruit
orchard at the south end of Gilbert Road. The harvest is distributed to various community meal
programs in Richmond, children’s programs and the Richmond Food Bank. Operations of the Farms are funded by corporate, community, and private donations.
University students are hired each summer through a federal government student works grant.
A large part of the work is done by individual volunteers as well as corporate and organizational
groups. Farm operations form the practicum portion of the program of Kwantlen University
Farm School.
http://www.richmondfruittree.com/
Arzeena Hamir, 604-727-9728 (no voice mail), is a board member, and coordinates distribution.
Richmond Food Bank
Through two depots in the City of Richmond, The Richmond Food Bank distributes staple
goods to families and individuals in need. Recipients provide proof of residency in order to
receive free groceries. A program exists to provide dairy products to families and pregnant
women. The Food Bank provides other programs which include books, dental care items,
nutrition workhops and planting workshops.
Agencies providing free meals are able to receive supplies from the Food Bank. Delivery is
sometimes available. The Food Bank occasionally stores produce being distributed from the
Sharing Farm, so that community meals which operate on non-harvest days can also take
advantage of the free produce.
http://www.richmondFoodbank.org
604-271-5609
Richmond Food Security Society
Various fruits, herbs and vegetables are being preserved at a series of workshops facilitated by
RFSS. These jams, pickles, pestos and other “home preserves”, prepared in the teaching kitchen
of Garratt Wellness Centre and stored at Terra Nova Sharing Farm, are available to community
meals providers via the Food Bank.
During the fruit harvest season, RFSS picks excess fruit from local residences, to be distributed
through the Food Bank. Community meal providers have access to this harvest.
http://richmondfoodsecurity.org/
Arzeena Hamir, 604-727-9728; arzeenahamir@shaw.ca
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Richmond Community Meals Report, July 2010
Local Food Resources
Many farmers in Richmond are able to provide good pricing and wonderful, locally grown
product. These farmers are known to be able to assemble orders in quantities appropriate for
community meals.
JS Nature Farms
11500 McKenzie Road (at Steveston Hwy)
604-273-6922
WA Farms
17771 Westminster Hwy
604-278-5667
Cherry Lane Farm
2411 No. 4 Road (enter f rom Beckwith Road, behind Costco)
778-833-3379
Sanduz Estate Wines
12791 Blundell Rd.
604-214-0444
more current information is available from the Richmond Food Guide publication, from
http://richmondfoodsecurity.org/Documents
12